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CONTENTS 1. Moderator's Space: An Apology 2. Oh Yes…The Glass Ceiling, huh… - Joan Marques 3. Appreciations on Golden Jubilee (50th) Issue 4. Women and the Maintenance of the Glass Ceiling - by Joan Marques 5. Tomato Soup for the Soul - contributed by Ambar Nanavaty 6. More Articles from HR Era Members
7. Some refreshing Quotes - sent by Ananth Raman 8. Inspiring Presentations forwarded by HR Era Members
9. Training Programs (India)
10. Aims of
HR Era, How to Contribute Articles. |
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HR Era is a Free fortnightly for HR Professionals with 4500 subscribers. If you have friends who you think will benefit from our articles & messages, please tell them to send a blank email to hrera-subscribe@yahoogroups.com . Visit our website at http://hrera.com |
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1. Moderator's Space: An Apology I have not sent three ebooks to the 500+ new members who have joined HR Era in last two months. My apologies for the delay. Actually my father needed medical attention and that became a priority. Shall email within this week. We invite your views on whether there is a glass ceiling for women and what could be done to address the issue. Please email to Alka@HREra.com . We will publish in a special issue. warm regards Rajeev B Bhatnagar |
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2. Oh Yes…The Glass Ceiling, huh… - Joan Marques It all depends on how you look at it. Some would say that significant progress has been made where it regards the glass ceiling; others would just laugh and ask you where your eyes are. |
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Yes - There is a Glass Ceiling
According to Baker & Lightle (2001), the
Civil Rights Act of 1991 established the Federal Glass Ceiling Commission with
the mission “to assess the barriers hindering "the advancement of women and
minorities to management and decision-- making positions:' and to make
recommendations toward bringing down such barriers.”
(p.18) Although Baker & Lightle (2001) conclude
that “progress has been made in the [federal] auditing field,” they also
recommend that “further research is required to determine the precise reasons
behind that progress.” (p.26) They exclaim that in general the "glass ceiling has in no way disappeared, but it is certainly
starting to show some weaknesses.” (Baker & Lightle, 2001,
p.26) Ceiling Has Weakened in Sales It seems that in sales, women have managed to make quite some progress in the past 30 years. McDonald (2001) cites Louise Canter, senior vice president at Patterson-- Smith Associates in Falls Church, Va., who explains that even though “it has not been a quick or easy process,” (p.43) women have succeeded in becoming prosperous agents, due to the fact that “they're more detail-oriented, more relationship-oriented and they relate well to clients.” (p.43). Rightfully, Canter also remarks that women should do more networking (McDonald, 2001, p.43). “"Men have their Lions clubs and other organizations, which were established by men and [are] attended by men," she says. "I believe it is the matter of a couple of [women] organizing and then motivating other women to attend." (McDonald, 2001, p.43). The Non-White Women in USA Ceiling Has Weakened due to Franchising Operations Seen within the broader scope of minorities as victims of the glass ceiling, Wallace (2001) states that “As the national and international economies have found themselves in a downward spiral, more and more major U.S. companies are "downsizing" or "right-sizing" to cope with the changing economic conditions, more than ever before, franchise businesses-with their highly recognized brands and sophisticated marketing and advertising programs-- are attracting extremely motivated entrepreneurs. And increasingly, these former employees of the new economy are business people from the ranks of our country's minority community. For many minorities, franchising is providing the tool needed to break the "glass ceiling" found in many segments of the economy. It is proving to be a way to achieve one part of the American dream - owning one's own business.” (p.23) Whether that part of the glass ceiling will really come down through the above mentioned developments, is a miracle that we still have in store to be realized. But It Remains in Top Corporate Positions One of the dark corners within the story of the glass ceiling is the part that shows the picture of the diversity-issue. The sad reality, according to Scott (2001) is that “the number of women of color among [the] group [of highest-paid corporate officers] remains stagnant according to the 2000 Catalyst Census of Women Corporate Officers and Top Earners.” (p.30). The survey presents the bleak percentage women of color among top executives, which has not changed from a meager1.3% in the past 2 years! In general, Scott (2001) exclaims, “the percentage of women in corporate top jobs has only increased 3.8% in five years because there is only a small group of women being prepared for top leadership positions.” So why is the glass ceiling still in existence? And what are the prospects? Redwood (2001), who is Special Assistant to the Secretary of Labor, Robert Reich, explains the slow progress toward bringing the glass ceiling down as follows: “we do not yet live in a color blind or gender blind society. Sexism, racism, and xenophobia live side-by-side with unemployment, underemployment and poverty; they feed on one another and perpetuate a cycle of unfulfilled aspirations among women and people of color.” (par. 5) Redwood (2001) continues that “Glass Ceiling research reveals that women of all racial and ethnic groups are most likely to be employed in the service industries and in finance, real estate, wholesale and retail trade.” Redwood affirms nonetheless that there are cracks in the ceiling and that women are moving up the corporate ladder. In Redwood’s findings “progress has been made, but we still have a long way to go” (2001). She states that “surveys show that between 1982 and 1992, the proportion of women holding the title of executive vice president rose from 4 to 9 percent. Those at the senior vice president level rose from 13 to 23 percent.” So is it an education issue that keeps the glass ceiling firmly standing? Not in Redwood’s opinion. “Equal educational attainment does not guarantee fair compensation. Regardless of credentials and preparedness, the return on investment or income, continues unequal. All women have considerably lower mean incomes compared to their male counterparts, and most minority men earn less than non-Hispanic white men with the same education at the same occupational level. It is this wage discrimination or pay inequity that is an indicator of the existence of glass ceilings.” (2001) Why Does the Disparity Continue? So, could one ask then, “why does the disparity continue? It's not because women and minorities are not prepared. The number of women holding bachelor and post-graduate degrees has steadily increased. And more and more postgraduate degrees are in the field of business management and law - the credentials that are now considered prerequisites for senior management positions. Despite identical education attainment, ambition, and commitment to career, men still progress faster than women.” (Rosewood, 2001) The most interesting statement from Rosewood’s speech is that “research suggests that the underlying cause for the existence of the glass ceiling is the perception of many white males that they as a group are losing - losing competitive advantage, losing control, and losing opportunity as a direct consequence of inclusion of women and minorities” So what we all should consider and realize is that “glass ceilings in the business world are not an isolated feature of corporate architecture; rather they are held in place by the attitudes of society at large.” And if this is the case—and I have no reason to doubt it—shouldn’t we then have to start teaching attitudinal change to our children--tomorrow’s society--in school? References: i] Baker, B., & Lightle, S. S. (2001). Cracks in the glass ceiling: An analysis of gender equity in the federal government auditing career field. The Journal of Government Financial Management, 50(3), 18-26. ii] McDonald, C. (2001). Women agents say they are breaking the glass ceiling. National Underwriter, 105(45), 43-44. iii] Redwood, R. (2001, 16 December 2001). The Glass Ceiling. The Federal Glass Ceiling Commission. Available: http://www.inmotionmagazine.com/glass.html [2002, January, 23]. iv] Scott, M. S. (2001). For women, the glass ceiling persists. Black Enterprise, 32(1), 30. v] Wallace, C. E. (2001). Right place, right time, right partners: Emerging opportunities for minorities and the franchising sector. Franchising World, 33(7), 23-24. Author : Joan Marques, Ed D. Joan Marques emigrated from Suriname, South America, to California, U.S., in 1998. She holds a doctorate in Organizational Leadership, a Master’s in Business Administration, and is currently a university instructor in Business and Management in Burbank, California. You may visit her web sites at http://www.joanmarques.com and http://www.spiritcounts.com
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3. Appreciations on Golden Jubilee (50th) Issue
From Consultancy Domain
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4. Women and the Maintenance of the Glass Ceiling - by Joan Marques Okay, this is not my first article about the Glass Ceiling, but I can assure you that I'm not obsessed with it. It's just that I came to some insights that others must have had before me as well, and that I would like to share with my audience at this time. First, for the ones who are at a total loss regarding the abovementioned phenomenon, "the term glass ceiling was first used in a 1986 Wall Street journal article, referring to invisible barriers that impeded the career advancement of women in the American work force. In more recent years, the term has come to include underrepresented minority groups." (Baker & Lightle, 2001, p.18) In this article I would like to limit my
focus to women. Rightfully so, they have been suffering from the
"brotherhood of men" - the closed bond men create to keep their positions secure
- which made it impossible for many women
in the past to reach leadership levels, and if they did, to earn the same salary
that their (white) male colleagues in similar positions were taking home. And
till this day it isn't easy for women in many career fields to reach the highest
regions. Maybe that should explain why women are so
extremely competitive. Or were they that way long before anyone thought of a
term called "the glass ceiling"? Here are some interesting things I have been
considering today. Being a woman myself, I have to admit that
I:
1.
Never really received any real
encouragement from another woman in any work-related field. Career-blessings and
mentorship always came from? right, men!
2.
Endured many setbacks when another
woman had to decide whether I would be fit for a position. They obviously seemed
to prefer men, and part of me understands them (see point
5)
3.
Experienced women?s competitiveness in
every field. Ever tried to get another woman yielding for you in traffic if
you're a woman yourself? 9 times out of 10 they will ignore
you!
4.
Often heard women complaining that
their biggest enemies in reaching a goal were? other women. Unfortunately, I
experienced it myself as well.
5.
Found that women, once in a position
they desired for a long time, will hardly ever help other women (who are in
beginning stages) to get even close.
6.
Found that men are generally easier and
less complicated to work with than women. Women are very often subject to mood
swings, causing their co-workers to go through hell figuring out whether they
are angry with them, or just have a bad-hair day.
The world of
today houses an increasing number of female organizations, attempting to
increase awareness among woman, enhance educational chances for women, and
decrease domestic violence against women, among many other noble goals. Great
initiatives. But as long as women remain their own most important enemy, and as
long as they don't understand the concept of "sisterhood," (even the word sounds
unfamiliar, huh? Maybe because it's hardly ever used?) all these attempts will
slowly fade without lasting success. If we look at
the Glass-ceiling, then, we can find millions of reasons, culpable to the
construction of our society, why women are still at a disadvantage compared to
men. But one of the main reasons for this to happen is, that women haven't
managed to understand the concept of holding each other's back. They cannot
count on each other. They don't form a close bond. They compete with themselves
to death. They refuse to give one another the credits and chances they deserve.
They seem to prefer suffering than giving each other a push in the right
direction. They will come up with zillions of "good" reasons why they are unable
to help other women, mostly varying from "having to create equal opportunity,"
and "promoting honesty," to "not being the sole decision-maker." Yet, the main
reason behind their behavior is probably fear. Fear that the other woman, once
in the career-boat, will outperform them and push them aside. And this could
lead us to wonder why they are this fearful in the first place. Insecurity?
Distrust? Self doubt? Risk averseness? All these factors and many
more! Only if women
decide to dare giving their sisters a chance, and only when they start trusting
the karmic laws that teach us that if you do good, good will be done to you in
return (even if it happens in a totally different area), will they be able to
break the barrier that - above all - they create for themselves: the maintenance
of the Glass Ceiling. References: Baker, B., & Lightle, S. S. (2001). Cracks in the glass ceiling: An analysis of gender equity in the federal government auditing career field. The Journal of Government Financial Management, 50(3), 18-26. Author : Joan Marques, Ed D. Joan Marques emigrated from Suriname, South America, to California, U.S., in
1998. She holds a doctorate in Organizational Leadership, a Master’s in Business
Administration, and is currently a university instructor in Business and
Management in Burbank, California. You may visit her web sites at
http://www.joanmarques.com
and
http://www.spiritcounts.com |
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Click Here to see the latest innovative management suggestion Now we know where we are headed in quest for higher & higher Employee Productivity.! Contributed by Ambar Nanavaty, |
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6. More Articles from HR Era Members 6.1 HRD Climate Questionnaire - Vinod T. Bidwaik This Questionnaire with 27 items can be used for conducting a quick survey of HRD Climate in any organization. It will give pointers to improving the climate from employee's angle. 6.2 Quality Dictionary - R J Rammohan The directory enclosed will be very useful for those
who are doing and continue to do ISO / QS / TS / TQM and other quality related
activities. Please circulate to members. [Runs into 41 pages] 6.3 The Complete (HR) Man - S. Senthil Nathan Senthil says that to be a complete HR manager, one must hold and practice three things, viz. one identifying value, action-orientation, participative style. Read on to get an insight on 3 important attributes from a young HR professional. 6.4 Innovation in Companies - HR Era Member Innovation can have many triggers and can happen in many aspects of business. Here are dozens of real life examples of innovation triggered by challenge, customer focus, creative thinking. Also dozens of examples of innovations in communication, collaboration, completion, contemplation. [Author of this article may kindly email us. I am sorry because the particulars were lost when my outlook account crashed. ]
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7. Some refreshing Quotes - sent by Ananth Raman Cursing a flat Tyre does not fix it Optimism is not the result of blinding oneself to Problems , but of always believing there is a Solution If you reach for a goal, you may not get there , but at least you'll get a lot farther than if you hadn't reached at all If you've experienced the dark, you can better appreciate the light Great men tell you how to get where you're going; greater men take you there It's how you handle your problems and troubles that counts, not the troubles themselves Everyone has potential; you just have to discover it [Dear Alka, The attached collection is an extract from a perpetual table calendar called " Mottos for Success". I make it a point to read - re read and assimilate the message every morning before I sit on my Office chair ! I am sure there must be many among this HR era group who also possess one of this wonderful piece. It is available in India through a few NGOs and priced around Rs.250- 280 per piece. The postal address is: Activated India; P.O.Box 5215; G.P.O; Bangalore 560 001. Email activatedIndia@activated.org Ananth Raman. raman.ananth@siemens.com ] |
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8. Inspiring Presentations forwarded by HR Era Members 8.1 Living Life - sent by Vinod Unnikrishnan Dear Friends, 8.2 Reap What You Sow - sent by Amarjeet S Kudle Dear All,
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9. Training Programs (India)
INSTITUTE OF HRD
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Dates: Sept. 24-25, 2004(Fri
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Time: 9:30a.m- 5:30p.m Venue: The Chancery, Lavelle Road, Bangalore- 560 001
Resource
Persons
Mr. Narayanan Nair, Head-HR, Global Exchange Services
Ms. Uma Venkatram,
Director, HR Redux.
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Ex-VP-HR, Praxair India Ltd.
Mr.S.Sivam,
Head-HR, AT & S Ltd.
Workshop Fee:
For more Details Contact : B. Nandini ( Ph: 080-23436406, 23549645, 51244291 ) INSTITUTE
OF HRD
Redefining Excellence in Corporate Training
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10. Aims of HR Era, How to Contribute Articles, Legal Stuff.
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